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Britney Spears, Beyonce, Eminem, Lady Gaga vie for MTV VMAs

August 4, 2009 | 10:47
am

Reigning champ Britney Spears will contend again for the top prize at the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards. Spears landed a nod for her video for "Womanizer," which competes for pop video as well. The title track to "Circus" is up for five technical nods too.

Last year Spears won her first three VMAs, including video of the year for "Piece of Me." She had lost all 16 of her previous VMA nominations,
including her only previous bid for video of the year when "Toxic" lost to "Hey Ya" by OutKast in 2004.

Eminem has taken the top honor twice before -- in 2000 for "The Real Slim Shady" and in 2002 for "Without Me." The rapper has racked up another seven VMA wins, beginning with his first Moonman a decade ago as best new artist. This year he also contends for best male and hip-hop video.

Beyonce has only been nominated for video of the year once, losing her 2007 nod for "Irreplaceable" to, of all people, her husband, Jay-Z, and Rihanna for "Umbrella." Beyonce does have six wins out of 14 nods in various categories to console her. She contends for a slew more this year, with "Single Ladies" earning nine noms in total, including best female and pop videos as well as six technical nods.

West has lost this category twice. "Jesus Walks" was bested by Green Day and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" in 2005 while "Stronger" was among the videos that also lost to "Umbrella" two years ago. West has just two wins to show for his 11 VMA nominations. This year he also picked up nods for best male and hip-hop video.

Newcomer Lady Gaga could be the belle of the ball as her videos vie for nine Moonmen in all. Besides her video of the year bid, Lady Gaga is up for best new artist, female and pop video for "Poker Face" while "Paparazzi" has five technical bids.

Russell Brand is returning to host the 26th annual edition of the MTV Video Music Awards
on Sept. 13 from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Last year, his hi-jinks as host helped draw more than 23 million viewers. That was a 15% boost from the hostless 2007 edition of the VMAs (best remembered for Britney's bad lip syncing) and a 41% jump from the 2006 awardscast headlined by Jack Black from Gotham.